Embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for detecting and indicating end-of-service-life in disposable filtration masks. Applicant has proposed incorporating end-of-service-life indicators comprising color changing chemicals into the mask. The indicating chemicals may be incorporated into the nonwoven fabric material of the mask, or may be attached to the nonwoven material of the mask, such as by dipping, spraying, or adhering. The color change of the indicating chemicals may indicate to a user that the use life of the mask has been depleted.

A facemask fan system is provided. The system includes a facemask comprising a flexible cover having a pair of ear loops disposed on opposing lateral sides of the flexible cover. A fan housing is removably securable to an interior surface of the flexible cover. In some embodiments, the fan housing is integral with the flexible cover, such that the fan housing extends through the flexible cover placing an interior portion of the fan housing on an interior side of the flexible cover and an exterior portion of the fan housing on an exterior side of the flexible cover. A fan is operably connected to a motor and a power source, wherein the fan, motor, and power source are disposed within the fan housing. A plurality of controls is operably connected to the motor, wherein the plurality of controls selectively toggles the motor between an activated state and a deactivated state.

A method and apparatus is disclosed for constructing a mask. The mask is formed of a first mask segment overlayed on a second mask segment. The first mask segment has an article cutout on a right side. The second mask segment has an article cutout on a left side. The article cutouts extend toward a center of the mask. The mask segments are coupled together such that a passage extends between the mask segments and between the article cutouts. A user who is wearing the mask may pull either or both of the article cutouts across the center of the mask to create a hole for entrance of an article. When released, the hole may close or may enclose around an article extending through the hole.

Improved facemask designs are disclosed herein. The improved facemask is designed to provide a sucking airflow that sucks aerosolized particles emitted from a person's mouth towards a filtration unit. By providing this sucking airflow, medical personnel can work on the user's mouth and facial area without worrying about breathing in the aerosolized particles. The facemask includes a covering portion that covers a user's nose and mouth. The facemask includes a central lumen that is configured to permit access to the user's nose and/or mouth. The facemask further includes an access port configured to enable airflow communication between the covering portion and a bilateral vacuum. Airflow is directed away from the central lumen towards the bilateral vacuum. By directing the airflow in this manner, aerosolized particles emitted from the user's mouth are removed in an effective amount to decrease expulsion of the aerosolized particles outside of the vacuum facemask.

A respirator 10 that includes a harness 14 and a mask body 12 that is air permeable. The mask body 12 has a sinus region 40 and a primary filtering region 44 and comprises at least one nonwoven fibrous webs, which web includes a layer of filter media. The sinus region 40 of the mask body 12 exhibits a resistance to airflow that is greater than the primary filtering region 44. This resistance to airflow is achieved through an alteration of the intrinsic structure of the plurality of nonwoven fibrous layers in the sinus region 40 without adding additional material to the mask body. The alteration of the intrinsic structure assists in preventing eyewear fogging.

A flat-fold respirator is made from a stiff filtration panel joined to the remainder of the respirator through at least one line of demarcation. The panel contains a porous monocomponent monolayer nonwoven web that contains charged intermingled continuous monocomponent polymeric fibers of the same polymeric composition and that has sufficient basis weight or inter-fiber bonding so that the web exhibits a Gurley Stiffness greater than 200 mg and the respirator exhibits less than 20 mm H.sub.2O pressure drop. The respirator may be formed without requiring additional stiffening layers, bicomponent fibers, or other reinforcement and can be flat-folded for storage. Scrap from the manufacturing process may be recycled to make additional stiff filtration panel web.

The present invention relates to a personal respiratory protection device, in particular, such a device comprising a respirator body having a periphery, a filter media, forming at least part of the respirator body, and a gasket, the gasket being located at the periphery and extending along at least a portion of its length.

A filtering face-piece respirator 10 that includes a harness 14 and a mask body 12 that has a multi-layer filtering structure 16. The respirator includes a cushioning member 64 positioned proximate the nose area of the mask body 12, enveloped by a layer of the filtering structure 16. The cushioning member 64 is a compressible material and may be elastic. The cushioning member 64 can be positioned directly opposite of a nose clip 56.

A personal respiratory protection device comprising an upper panel, a central panel, and a lower panel, the central panel being separated from the upper and lower panels by a first and second fold, seam, weld or bond, respectively, such that device is capable of being folded flat for storage along first and second fold, seam, weld or bond and opened to form a cup-shaped air chamber over the nose and mouth of the wearer when in use, wherein the upper panel has a nose conforming element for conforming at least part of the upper panel to the nose of a wearer when in use, the nose conforming element having a resiliently flexible central portion and first and second rigid outer portions extending outwardly from the central portion, the central portion deforming upon donning of the respirator so that the central and outer portions conform to the profile of the nose.

A personal respiratory protection device (10) comprising an upper panel (18), a central panel (16), and a lower panel (20), the central panel (16) being separated from each of the upper and lower panels (18) by a first and second fold (36), seam, weld (76) or bond, respectively, such that device is capable of being folded flat for storage along the first and second fold (36), seam, weld (76) or bond and opened to form a cup-shaped air chamber over the nose and mouth of the wearer when in use, wherein the lower panel (20) includes a stiffening sheet (40) which has a longitudinal crease line, wherein the stiffening sheet (40) is folded about the longitudinal crease line when the device is in use.